On Saturday, August 17, 2024, the Minister of the Family of Romania, Natalia Intotero, accompanied by a small escort and the Representative of the Romanian Patriarchate in Jerusalem Fr Ioannis, visited Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and asked for his patriarchal wishes and blessings for her country, her escort and herself personally, especially in her capacity as Minister of Family in her country.
The Patriarch warmly welcomed Intotero and commended her for her bravery in visiting the Holy Land despite the ongoing conflict. He highlighted the significant work of the Patriarchate, with a special emphasis on the situation in Gaza and the activities at the Holy Monastery of Saint Porphyrios, saying that “we as the Church have prayer and the exhortation to dialogue, peace, and reconciliation as its strongest weapon”.
The Patriarch particularly underlined the mission of the Church to promote the values of the Holy Bible in a secularized world, supporting the principles attached to human nature and the institution of the family.
On this visit, the Patriarch presented Intotero with a cross, an icon of the Theotokos, and a silver-plated painting of Jerusalem and blessings from Jerusalem to her associates, and wished her success in her work to support the institution of the family.
